In April 2022 I completed a month’s artist residency with Vital Capacities. Where I started exploring darkroom printing with AR. I downloaded cyanotypes by ‘Anna Atkins’ to edit and create into an AR artwork. I used Adobe Illustrator and Vectary to create the work.

QR codes are in the shape of a square filled with a unique black and white pattern. When you turn your phone camera on and place the camera in front of the QR code you will be prompted to click on the link. The link will open ‘Vectary’ in a web browser, it might take a few moments to load. Once loaded you will see the artwork in the middle of the screen and a ‘AR’ logo in the top right-hand corner which is black and white and in the shape of a phone with AR written in the middle. If you tap on the ‘AR’ logo it will then open your phone camera, on an iPhone it will say across the middle of your screen ‘move iPhone to start’ as it needs light for it to place the object. Once it is happy it will place the artwork on a surface. You can drag with both thumbs on the screen to make the artwork smaller or larger and with one thumb to move around, you can also take a photo of the artwork in your location. 

I have created the works from two Anna Atkins cyanotype prints called Polypodium vulgare and Cystoseira granulate. Cyanotypes is a type of photographic printing process where the image turns dark blue, cyan after being exposed to UV light and developed in water. 

Polypodium vulgare is a print of one fern leaf. I’ve edited the print taking the outline of the fern leaf using Adobe Illustrator to turn 3D and I’ve placed the original image as a material on top. The fern leaf leans to one side and is cyanotype blue with patches of lighter blue which is the outline of the fern leaf in the print. 

Cystoseira granulate is a print of a botanical study of marine algae. I’ve edited the print taking the outline of the algae using Adobe Illustrator to turn 3D and I’ve placed the original image as a material on top. The algae has four branches that are spread out delicately and is cyanotype blue with patches of lighter blue which is the outline of the algae in the print.